2005 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner V-6

Our 2005 Truck of the Year showdown featured some tough competition, but from the outset, we knew the new Toyota Tacoma was going to be a serious player: bigger and bolder looks, a strong powertrain, a vast improvement over the previous model. In the end, it took home the well-deserved honors, which earned it a place in our long-term fleet for a one-year evaluation.

We opted for the PreRunner with a TRD package-it offered the tough looks of a hard-core 4x4, sans the weight of a transfer case, extra driveshaft, and all the front-axle parts that would've added almost 400 extra pounds. The weight savings provided a good amount of extra throttle response and better overall fuel economy. Regrets? Opting for the runningboard step rails ($369). They weren't practical, didn't fit with the truck's stance, and left dirt on the back of a driver's pant legs.

In its first six months, our Radiant Red RWD Tacoma proved so popular, the odometer clicked up another 5000 miles every two months, with trips to Reno and Phoenix, and it spent hours of torture duty in Southern California traffic. Testers noted the vehicle felt tight and solid from the beginning, with only a single comment made about the seals around the rear doors, a typically difficult area in which to prevent extended-cab air leaks. Beyond that, most logbook entries focused on how strong the engine and transmission felt, visibly raising the front end when starting from a full stop. One driver wrote that the PreRunner reminded him of a sprinter at a start line, tensely waiting for the gun to fire. The interior got high praise from all staff members, with its numerous cupholders and large lockable storage bin, with even a few hidden compartments under the rear fold-down seats. Staff photographers liked the built-in 115V inverter, which allowed them to plug in their laptops to download photos immediately following a shoot. It also helped keep camera batteries charged-though a plug inside the cab, as well as the one in the bed, would've been even more helpful.

The Tacoma performed several towing stints, encountering minimal tail waggle even with a 3500-pound Fleetwood camper in back. The truck's soft rear springs meant taking precautions regarding tongue weights so as to not point headlights into oncoming traffic during night driving. Fuel economy averaged 13.8 mpg when towing, the center console shifter making for easy maneuvering between third and fourth gears to help keep the engine revs in the strongest part of the powerband-a good thing towing up grades at altitude. Other towables included a rented U-Haul trailer (from Sacramento to Los Angeles) and a microsize foldout camper. Plenty of camping gear, coolers, and mountain bikes have been loaded into the bed, dragged and banged around, without making a significant scratch, thanks to the weight-saving composite bed.